Guardian of the Warriors
by Hibiscus Rose Moon
Summary: Sage Hunter's life is truly hard. She's bullied, hurt, and plain abused of her feelings. She's thinks there is nothing special about her,until she comes across a necklace that grants her the power to go into her favorite book. Sage goes through quite an adventure and in the end,she might find out she's the most special of all. (I don't own Warrior Cats, Rated T b'cuz it's Warriors)
1. Crashing Down

**I don't own Warrior cats. If I did, there would be a WeHeartHollyleafClan.**

 **Crashing Down**

I didn't like myself. Mostly because I believed what those girls said. Also because my parents fought. They didn't before I was born, but now they do. So it must be my fault. My twin sister Zinnia may have looked like me, but she wasn't like me at all. In fact, she hates me. That's why she asked for her own room. And guess what? She got it. She decorated it with bright colors and vibrant patterns that just screamed "Happiness", so it was the exact opposite of what I felt when she moved out. Do you like stacking dominoes? I did too. Well, until my life turned into a game of dominoes. One after the other, those dominoes formed a long line. One domino for everything that went wrong in my life. Then at last, that one day, January 14, 2012, was the last domino that didn't stand up right, and it came crashing down into the others, just how all my problems came crashing down onto me.

"The rest of your things are in the kitchen." My mother said as she dismissed my father. I didn't understand what was going on. I knocked on my sister's door. It had a wreath of these bright orange flowers hanging on it. The door creaked open, and Zinnia rolled her eyes when she saw me.

"Can't you just leave me alone, twerp? What do you want?" She said snarkily. She was oblivious the hurt in my eyes, or if she did, she ignored it. That reminded me of the times when Zinnia and I used to be best friends. She always used to know if I was sad back then. She'd cheer me up, then we'd go do everything together. We'd go down the slide together, have tea parties together, eat peanut butter right out of the jar while laying on the rug...

"I said, what do you want?" Zinnia repeated. I was snapped back to the present at the sound of her voice.

"Why is dad packing his things?" I asked. He had been packing since the last week, but they didn't talk to each other anymore, and they didn't talk to us anymore.

"Because they're getting a divorce idiot! Haven't you heard the way they argue? What, do you think dad's just going on vacation? You seriously wasted all my time for some dumb question because you are just too immature to understand the way life works? Give me a break!" With that she slammed the door closed, leaving me to crumble under the spiral of problems that came crashing down.


	2. The Reasons and a Find

**The Reasons and a Find**

I had cried all night last night, after the horrible news was delivered to me. It was the next day, Monday. In other words, torture day. I expected ironed clothes to be laid out on my bed, and the smell of breakfast to some wafting up the stairs, with mom cooking and dad humming. But as usual, it wasn't there. After putting on jeans and a white shirt that barely looked white anymore, I walked downstairs and ate cold oatmeal. I didn't know how to cook it. Zinnia came downstairs wearing a hot pink shirt and a sparkly purple skirt. She had a sparkly purple necklace to match her skirt. She smiled this perfect smile with a face filled of pink blush and glittering lip gloss.

"Bye twerp! Livvy is meeting me at the park!" She bounced out the door. Apparently, she's so obsessed with Livvy she forgot about breakfast. Livvy is Zinnia's best friend after she began to hate me. Livvy has blonde wavy hair and green eyes. She's our age, 11. Zinnia can't stop talking about how Livvy is soo perfect. I wonder, if I were more like Livvy, would Zinnia like me again? Sighing, a swallowed the rest of my oatmeal, alone, feeling as cold as it was.

* * *

I rushed through the halls. I wanted to get to class before I ran into them. The meanest girls in school. You're probably surprised to hear that those mean girls are led _by_ Livvy, and Zinnia joined them not too long ago. She's my sister, but she'd rather be popular than stand up for me.

"Hey twerp!" Too late. I sigh and turn face to face with Livvy. She's wearing a sparkly blue dress, and makeup just like Zinnia's. They probably planned their outfits.

"Decided to actually wear something clean today? Maybe you thought it'd make you look less like a hobo. Wrong!" Carina and Lyra laugh along with her. I look at Zinnia, hoping that she'd say something, but she just looks down at her feet. At her flats with little pink bows. I wanted shoes like that too, but mom probably rathered Zinnia. That's why she would do anything Zinnia asked. Livvy laughs again.

"Where'd you get that shirt? Forever Hobo?" Carina and Lyra laugh again. Zinnia keeps looking at her shoes. Tears start to fall from my face.

"Aww, look! The wittle baby's crying!" Livvy says. Lyra and Carina are now laughing so loud, I wonder why a teacher doesn't hear them. I wipe my eyes, but tears fall faster. I run off to the bathroom, hearing them laugh still. Slumped on the floor of Stall #3, I am still crying. _Why don't they like me?_ I think. Was I that disappointing? What did I do to deserve this? Wiping my eyes again, I get up and walk out of the stall. The bell rings, but I can't care anymore. I study my face in the mirror. My eyes are red and puffy from all that crying, and my brown hair is a mess all over my face. I sniff. I _am_ ugly. Maybe that's why those girls tease me. If only I looked like them. But I don't. And no matter how much I try to change myself, they still won't like me. Maybe it was just fate. Maybe I was meant to live like this, sda, miserable, and lonely. I pick up my school books and go to my locker. I decide to iss the class, not wanting to be scolded by the teacher. So I take the books for my next class and go back into the bathroom, to wait for the next bell. I was my face just as the bathroom door swings open. It's Zinnia.

"I heard what happened." She said. I nod.

"I'm sorry." I nod. If she was really sorry, why didn't she say anything?

"You need to stand up for yourself." I nod.

"Or at least don't act like that, so they won't bully you." I nod.

"Stop nodding! I'm talking to you." I nod. Zinnia sighs and walks out of the bathroom.

* * *

"Hurry up!" I heard my mother screech from inside. She'd change after my father left, and she wasn't nice anymore. Everyday she had me put out the garbage in the dumpster next to the library. I liked the library, to get lost in a book. I especially loved the Warriors series. Those cats seemed so free, unlike my life.

"I said hurry up!" I mother called again from the doorway. I heard the door slam. I hurry through the streets, feeling the cold sink into my hands. A brisk October breeze blew across the street and ruffled the fall leaves. I shivered. The dumpster came into view as I turned a corner. I tried to rush up to it, but failed miserably due to the huge bag of garbage. I tripped over it and saw the ground rushing up to meet my face. I got up, my face burning. I brushed the black crumbs of asphalt off my hands and looked down. The garbage bag had a huge tear and garbage was spilling out of it. I began to pick it up, hoping my mother wouldn't wonder where I was. The last thing I needed was for her to come see me like this. Cars sped past and honked as they did. I started to get more scared. Any moment my mother could walk in and see this mess. I began to claw at the ground, picking up anything my hand happened to lay on. In the corner of the alleyway I noticed a cereal bar box laying on a pile of leaves. I grabbed it, picking up the leaves at the same time. Before I dropped the box into the garbage bag, I noticed a golden gleam under the leaves. I let them flutter out of my hands and saw a necklace fall out with them. Dropping the cereal bar box I inspected the necklace closer. It was a golden chain with a gold charm. The charm was the shape of a cat's head, except it was more square. I knew I had saw that somewhere but I couldn't put my hand on it.

"Cats?" I said aloud. Then it hit me. That symbol was a warrior clan symbol, except it was blank. It didn't have a lightning bolt or tree or anything on it. I couldn't ignore the comforting feeling that necklace gave me. I slipped it into the pocket of the only pair of jeans I had, then tossed the garbage bag into the dumpster, leaving the cereal bar box on the ground.


	3. More Sadness and a Discovery

**More Sadness and a Discovery**

"And that's how you find 7.234 multiplied by 2.67. Can anyone explain the estimation process to me?" Ms. Betalina explained. I shrunk lower into my desk, praying she wouldn't pick me. You see, I used to love to raise my hand and say the answers, because I knew they'd be correct. I don't know if that made Livvy jealous, but last Monday, I volunteered to answer a question and got it wrong, and she won't let me hear the end of it.

"Hmm, how about, Jake?" Ms. Betalina said. Everyone looked over to Jake. The guy with dark gray hair that was cute ruffled, and these deep brown eyes….As you can tell, I like him. No-I _love_ him. But, as you can tell, no one pays attention to me. Jake glances at his paper, then says,

"7 times 3, which gives you 21, which is pretty close to 19.31478." I marvel at how he gets it right. Of course, so did I, but I'm not amazing like Jake. Then the thought of the Upcoming Fall Dance hits me. Would I have the courage to ask Jake? No, definitely not. But the more I think about it, the more I consider the possibilities. I end up writing a bunch of things I could say to Jake.

 _Ways to Ask Jake to the Dance_

 _1\. "Hi, since the dance is coming up, wanna go with me?"_

 _2\. "I like you a lot and wondered if you wanted to go to the dance."_

 _3\. "Are you going to the dance? If so, wanna go with me?"_

 _4\. "You're really handsome, do you wan-_

I ended up erasing that one. Finally I settled on something.

 _5\. "Wanna go to the dance?"_

It was straightforward, and simple. The bell rang, I gathered up my books and my courage, the walked over to Jake as he was gathering his things.

"Hi Jake." I said, brushing my light brown hair out of my face. He looked up.

"Oh hey." He continued to shuffle with his books.

"Um, So I was thinking, you see," Then I remembered my notes. "Look, do you wanna go to the dance with me?" He stopped and looked up at me. His face was red. I was confused. Rage? Embarrassment? Maybe….love? Nope.

"Uh, I kinda already asked someone. Sorry." Then he walked away quickly. I nodded.

"Um, that's alright." I call after him, knowing he didn't hear. The laugh that announced Livvy sounded. I wipe my eyes quickly.

"Oh, hi Livvy." I say. She laughs again.

"Why would you ever think Jake would take interest in _you_?" I looked down at my worn out black chuck taylors.

"Can't you see he already loves someone?" I know that looking over at Jake will make my cry more, but I can't help myself. I see Jake hugging Zinnia. He tells her something, then walks off. Zinnia giggles, her orange ponytail bouncing.

"You're so ugly. I mean, look at that clothes! Why would Jake ever love you?" With that they walk away, leaving me in the math room. Tears splash onto my books, soaking through the cover, but I can't care. I look at Zinnia one more time. At her sparkly white top, and her light purple mini skirt. At her matching white and purple flats with cute little bows. At her glittery lip gloss and lotion that makes her skin shimmer. At her bright green eyes, so green they were like sparkling emeralds. I watched her walk off with Livvy. I follow them slightly, just because I'm curious. They meet Carina and Lyra at their lockers and exchange giggles. Livvy writes something on Carina's hot pink locker white board. I stand to the side and can just make out what it says.

" _Bffs forever! Signed: Livvy,"_

Then Lyra and Zinnia sign it too. Carina swings her locker closed and all the girl skip off giggling. It's time for lunch. I walk over to my own locker and slide my books in. Then I walk down to the lunch room and sit in the corner to watch Livvy and her crew snap selfies and swap desserts. My tears fall again. I watch them splash into the soup that I thought would stay warm until lunchtime. Jake doesn't like me, I bullied at school, my mother hates me, and my sister treats me like an outsider,. That makes me realize just how lonely I am. More tears fall. Eventually I throw away my book and walk into the bathroom, the place that I go to often these days. Here, my tears can fall freely. I cry until I can cry no more, then sit on the floor. Some might say that's bad but I don't care about anything anymore. I stand up and look in the mirror, like I do after I finish crying. The necklace I found is hanging from my neck, the charm dangling and sparkling. I like that necklace, it was like it was meant for me, and it made me feel special. I look at the cover of my Warriors book. The Sight. I can't help but smile at Hollypaw, Jaypaw, and Lionpaw. Their lives seem so happy in the enclosure of their camp, safe and secure. I sigh.

 _I wish I was a cat._ I think to myself. I slump over the sink. My feet had begun to tingle, as if they had fallen asleep. I shook my foot, but it felt the same. Not like it matters. I keep staring at that book. My arms have begun to tingle too. I look up to see my hair blowing around my face, and I'm rising slightly off the floor.

"What's wrong with me?!" I exclaim desperately, but everyone's at lunch, and no one hears me. The I look into the mirror and realize my necklace is glowing a thick golden color. It flashes, then I drop. Except I don't know where I am. I look around. Gray and a blue walls that look very dirty…..the girls bathroom! I'm standing underneath the sink. I've shrunk. I look down at myself, and realize that I have paws. Light brown tabby paws. I run to the big mirror. I'm a _cat!_ I'm a light brown tabby with white paws, ears, tail tip, and necklace is still around my neck. I look up. My eyes are blue. Very blue. So blue they're almost purple.

 _Just like the flower I'm named after.._

I think. Then new thoughts interrupt me. What if someone comes into the bathroom? I frantically think of something. Footsteps sound down the hall. Panic flutters inside my chest.

"Oh, what do I do! I wish I was a human!" I was pacing around the bathroom, but suddenly my pacing stopped. I felt the tingling again. Soon, I flew upwards and was human again. It struck me. This necklace turns me into a cat at my command! I gasped in awe. I fingered the necklace around in my hand. I wonder what else it can do….

 **Hi everyone! I've been working on this for the past few weeks. Hope you like it!**

 **Other Random Stuff:**

 ***I'm still writing my other stories.**

 ***I might update certain stories less often, like Warrior Cat Spies**

 ***This is just something I thought of while I was in the shower...**

 ***Bye! Meow!**


	4. Expectations

**Expectations.**

I sat crossed legged on my bed. I inspected the necklace for the hundredth time. How was it possible that I could turn into a cat? And why me? Why not someone popular like Zinnia or Livvy? I peered down at the sharp points of the cat's ears. It really looked like the symbol of a clan, but which one? Another question. Why didn't it have a lightning bolt for Thunderclan, or a tree sign for Skyclan? And what else could the necklace do? I had so many questions that were unanswered. I figured, if it could turn me into a cat, could it turn a cat human? Could it, perhaps, bring me to Thunderclan? I got off my bed and walked over to the dusty bookcase in the corner of my room. I'd have to dust it before my mother said something about that. I plucked out a Warriors Book _. Omen of the Stars: The Fourth Apprentice._ I flip it open. I put the necklace around my neck, then clasp the charm in my palms, eyes closed.

"Um, let's see, I wish, um, I had a cat?" I open my eyes, but nothing happened. I decide to try a different wish.

"I wish, uhh, to have, I don't know, Graystripe in my room." I open my eyes again, but this time, still, nothing has happened. I sigh. Maybe I imagined everything that happened on Friday. I was crying so much I wouldn't be surprised if I saw pirates.

"Sage! Get down here!" I sigh again as my mother calls. Closing my book, I jump off my bed and run down the stairs. My mother calls again.

"Sage! How many times do I have to call you before you come?!" I run faster and slide into the kitchen before she explodes. My mother is standing my the counter, her hair tied back messily, wearing a ruffled shirt and pajama pants. I take a breath.

"Yes mom?" She glares at me.

"It's yes _mother._ And why did you leave so many cups in the sink." I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Um, there is only two cups in the sink, and I didn't put them there, so-" Before I can finish speaking, I feel a burning pain shoot through my right arm.

"Ow!" I exclaim. My mother keeps glaring at me.

"Don't talk to me that way!" She then goes into a rant full of curse words and swears. I blink back tears, and put the cups away quickly before rushing into my room. Zinnia knocks on the door a moment later. I look up.

"Sorry about what happened." She says. I freeze.

"You saw? Wait a second, didn't _you_ leave those cups in the sink?" Zinnia nods meekly.

"Sorry." I almost yell at her the way mom does to me.

"Why did you let me take the blame? Look what she did to me!" I show her the slowly fading red mark on my arm. "Zinnia, don't you see I'm your sister? It's like you care more about _Livvy_ than you care about me!" Suddenly, all the feelings I had flood out.

"Stop treating me like a stranger!" Zinnia looks guilty for a second, then it quickly turns to anger.

"I'm not doing that! It's not my fault you let them bully you! Maybe instead of yelling at me like this, you can tell Livvy yourself! Sometimes, I'm glad I'm nothing like _you_!" With that she spins around and flounces out the door, slamming it behind her. I glare after her. I don't care about Zinnia, or Mother, or Jake, or stupid Livvy and her brainless followers. I'm sure to have other people who care about me. Right in my _book_. I stomp over to _The Fourth Apprentice_ and open it to the first page. I hold the necklace, along with my book, and almost yell:

"I wish I was in Thunderclan, with _real_ people that care about me!" Suddenly, everything flashed golden, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing in a forest. Everything was peaceful. Birds tweeted and flew from branch to branch on tranquil trees, while bushes and flowers blew in a gentle breeze. But I was still human.

"Yes!" I exclaim.

Was I really in Thunderclan? I decided to test something out. I still have my book, and it has a map. I walked straight foward until I get to the lake shore, then scan the area. I'm surely in Thunderclan territory. A moor slopes on the left side of me, and dark pines tower in the North east. I nod. Now to find their camp. Following the map, I jump over sticks and bushes, climb slopes, and duck branches until I'm overlooking the camp. I duck behind a few trees and watch. Cats a walking in and out of the thorn barrier. A see a flame colored tom sitting on a large rock with a light ginger tabby next to him. Firestar and Sandstorm. This was definitely the camp. Next order of business? Turn myself into a cat, introduce myself, and go live with the Warrior Cats forever! All my problems would be solved. I felt ready to burst with joy. I close my eyes and whisper:

"I wish I was a cat." the tingling shot through me again, then I dropped downward, and was a cat. I looked at myself in a nearby puddle, just to be sure. I'm a cat, but the necklace is still around my neck. Then I walked toward the Thunderclan camp, then stopped. What would I say to them? I walked back to my puddle and stared at myself.

"Hi, my name is Sage, and I want to live with you." Too straightforward.

"Hi, my name is Sage, and I know you're Thunderclan, and could you ask Firestar if I could join?" That looked like I knew too much.

"Hi, my name is-" I couldn't finish before a yell interrupted me.

"Hey! What are you doing in Thunderclan territory?!" I turn around, but it's too late. A fluffy weight it thrown on top of me.

"Oof!" I say before the attacker stands up, their paws squarely on my chest. I blink. It's a cream colored tom. Berrynose. I forgot that towards the beginning of The Fourth Apprentice, Berrynose, Lionblaze, and company are going on a water patrol. Drat.

"Who are you?" Berrynose says. Before I can answer, a golden-yellow tom walks over.

"Give her a break Berrynose." The tom says. Berrynose gets up, but still looks at me through narrowed eyes.

"What's your name?" He asks. I'm guessing this is Lionblaze.

"Uh-" A voice interrupts me. Will I ever get a chance to speak here?

"Have you forgotten what Leopardstar told you at the gathering last night?" The voice says. "The fish in the lake belong to Riverclan." Cloudtail, who was also apparently there, replies to the tom that bounded forward.

"We're not here to fish," He says. "We only want water. You're not going to deny us that, are you?" I suddenly remember the argument between them and the Riverclan warriors. So this must be Reedwhisker. After they go through the entire argument, we are walking back to the camp. Lionblaze looks back at me. '

"So, what is your name?" Lucky for me, I'm already named after something in nature.

"Sagepaw." I reply. Lionblaze's eyebrow shoots up.

"Are you from one of the other clans?" I shake my head.

"Nope. I was a kittypet, and no one cared about me, so now I want to join Thunderclan. You're Lionblaze right? And that's Berrynose?" I point to the cream warrior with my tail. Lionblaze's eyes widen. So do Berrynose. Maybe I shouldn't have included so much information.

"How do you know all this?" Lionblaze asks. Berrynose narrows his eyes.

"She's just like Sol." Double drat! I forgot about Sol. Cloudtail walks forward.

"Berrynose has a point, you know. Let's bring her back to the camp and tell this to Firestar."

*o*o*o*

"So, Firestar, that's why we think she shouldn't be accepted into this camp. She's just like Sol." Cloudtail finished. Firestar looked down at me from his perch on high rock. I shrank underneath his gaze.

"So, you say you're from the Twoleg place?" I nod.

"I need time to think about this." Firestar says. "You can stay until moonrise. Then I will decide." I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm not accepted into their camp, but I'm not declined either. I sit under a tree in the clearing and watch the cats. Most are watching me wearily, while others don't seem bothered. The sun climbs across the sky, while I sit under my same tree. Even during dusk, the sweltering heat beats down on the camp. By now, most cats are sharing tongues lazily in the haze. My stomach grumbles as I watch a she-cat bite into a mouse. It smells delicious, but I still wince at the blood sitting around the flesh and bones. After another protest from my tummy, I can't resist it. I walk tentatively toward Firestar. He's sitting under highrock, talking quietly to Graystripe, Sandstorm, Brambleclaw, and Millie. They all turn towards me. I can't help but waver as I would a new teacher. I never thought I'd be shy towards a cat, but here we are.

"Well?" Firestar says. I realize I've been staring at them for the past minute. I take a breath.

"Um, could I, maybe, have something to eat?" Brambleclaw's eyebrow shoots up.

"I never thought a kittypet would want to eat a mouse." He chuckles, then stops once he meets Firestar's gaze. I almost laugh at how he forgot his leader was a kittypet. But Firestar doesn't seem bothered.

"You're welcome to take something." He says. I walk over to the fresh-kill pile, then take a small mouse. I stare at it's eyes, still shiny, and it's still warm body. My mind wanders back to my hamster that died a few years ago. I think of it crawling up my hand, and nuzzling me with it's fluffy fur and soft whiskers. I stare at the dead mouse in front of me. I look up and notice everyone in the camp looking at me. No. I can't. Carefully, I push the mouse back to it's place next to the fresh-kill pile. Firestar's whiskers twitch. Berrynose, Dustpelt, and a few other cats stare at me in scorn. Some cat calls out:

"Even a kit know not to play with prey!" A few laugh. No one says anything in my defense. Just like home. For the first time since I was there, I thought of Zinnia. What was she doing now? Was my mother looking for me? Did they care? Did I make the right choice? A single tear splashes onto the dusty ground. This was not what I expected.


End file.
